What Are The Major Labels Doing With Their Catalogs?

[DMP]

I know a couple of years ago BMG was reissuing their "Living Stereo" line, and I know Universal seemed to be doing something with their holdings... But is anything going on today? Without being able to drop into a Tower (with the walls of new releases) I'm lost! I'd like to upgrade some of my titles (bought at the beginning of the CD era) - where can i turn for information?

[Late]

Sony has a nice series called the Original Jacket Collection. These are strictly box sets, but often they include stuff that's never been out on disc before. I own one set so far, and can strongly recommend it: George Szell's Mozart. I have the Montserrat Caballé on its way to me now.

Some will hate the packaging (each disc comes in a mini-LP, though not as sturdy as Japanese versions), but it actually saves space, and the boxes themselves are quite sturdy.

[Chuck Nessa]

That's an old series. Not much happening now. The majors have "released" all the specialists and are saving bucks.

[Late]

That's an old series.

Yes, it started around 2001, and it's still ongoing. At least Bream, Domingo, Rubenstein and Horowitz boxes are now up for pre-order at various online vendors. Unless these are just re-reissues of the same box ... ?

[Teasing the Korean]

They are being predictably boneheaded and/or clueless.

For example, Vocalion has been reissuing classical CDs from the Decca/London catalog.

I had suggested reissuing the Decca recording of Slavenski's "Sinfonia Orienta," vinyl copies of which fetch high prices. They told me they had no interest in reissuing this.

Being that classical recordings don't exactly fly off the shelf these days, you'd think labels would want to exploit rarities in their back catalogs. I guess they just want to keep cranking out more Mozart and Beethoven.

I'm happy to keep buying secondhand vinyl while they slowly go out of business.